For the second round in succession, the BLUE Challenge had to endure near torrential rain, and also for the second time in succession Welshman, Ben Joseph dominated in the Final. Having dropped a heat, earlier in the day, Joseph had qualified 14th on the grid. From this mid-order start position, he systematically cut through the grid until lap 9 when he passed Anthony Cleal, the current number 1, for the lead. This time around, with his father as a mechanic, to ensure that fuel was in the tank, he maintained and even increased his lead to the flag! Cleal, for his part, opened up an 8 second lead over 3rd placed man, Russell O’Neill. Behind him, Mike Bell and Sylvian Vessier finished 4th and 5th. Once the start grid was added to the finish position, Cleal won the day with 2 points from Russell O’Neill on 5 points and Mike Bell on 8 points. Overall in the Championship, David Watts maintains his lead from Cleal. The absence of Richard Puddle allowed Mike Bell and Russell O’Neill to move up into 3rd and 4th spots. Despite being left on the start grid with an oiled plug, Serita Shone managed to start and scored enough points to move up to 5th overall.
It was a similar situation in the Master section where Joseph won the Final but Cleal took the day’s result. 2nd with 5 points was Russell O’Neill with Joseph 3rd on 9 points. Right behind was David Waldron on 10 points with David Goode and Chris Underhill 5th equal on 12 points. In the Championship Cleal remains in front, followed by Russell O’Neill, Joseph, David Waldron, and David Goode.
A clean sweep by Anthony Cleal in the Veteran sub-group gave him the Final win, the day’s result, and an increased lead in the Championship. 2nd equal on the day was David Waldron and Chris Underhill on 9 points. Paul Alexander came in 5th with 11 points.
Chris underhill won the Legend group from David Goode. Robin Stoddart-Stones finished 3rd with Mike Watts 4th and Kevin O’Neill 5th. It is, however, David Goode who increases his lead in the Championship followed by Kevin O’Neill, Ron Shone, Chris Underhill and Robin Stoddart-Stones.
In the BLUE Top Weight section, Ben Joseph took the day on 2 points with Rob Mortimore 2nd, Mike Watts 3rd and Ron shone 4th. Joseph also extended his Championship lead from Mortimore, Shone, Paul Dible and Billy Thomas.
In the Junior BLUE Class, Mitch Carpenter won the Final but shared the days’ points with Sam Mitchell. Behind these two, Rhys Read and Jamie Dart scored 7 points each. Madi Staddon, lead for several laps of the Final, before finding a ‘wetter than the rest’ patch and spinning off, takes up equal 5th place with Josh Hibbard.
The Championship now moves on to the Forest Edge Circuit on the 1st of August.
For More details please view the results page on the www.planetkarting.uk website or CLICK HERE

Russell O’Neill scored maximum points in the TABOR Champs in the rain-sodden Final at Clay Pigeon Raceway on 11th July.
His main rival, Serita Shone, raced on a few laps adrift having oiled a plug on the dummy grid prior to the race start. 3rd was a rejuvenated David Goode along with Ben Joseph, who gave a stunning performance and display of racing in the rain. There was disappointment for Rob Mortimore who ‘threw’ a chain with 4 laps to go whilst in 4th place.
The Championship now moves on to the Forest Edge Circuit on August 1st.
For update points please view the results page on the www.planetkarting.uk website OR CLICK HERE

Competitors are advised that entries are now open for the FORMULA BLUE CHALLENGE ROUND 6 and NKRA round 4 at the Forest Edge Race Circuit on August 1st
There will be practice, for those who wish it, on Saturday, July 31st.
The Saturday practice and the Sunday race can be entered for on the Clay Forest Edge website link. The link for entries is also at the foot of this news brief.
The entry list for Junior & Formula Blue will close at midnight, on Saturday, 24th July. Competitors are reminded that class numbers may reach the event limit, so to ensure inclusion, all ‘Blue’ competitors are advised to enter the race meeting early. The Junior Blue time trial will take place on Saturday, July 31st.
Please check the Forest Edge website for specific Covid requirements that may relate to this race meeting.
TO ENTER FOR THE EVENT – PLEASE CLICK HERE

With Covid having placed serious restrictions on the presentation options of the NKRA 2020 trophies, the organisors have waited until the first opportunity, which would be suitable, for the competitors to receive their trophies. It can now be confirmed that a partial presentation ( half of the 2020 trophies) will take place at Clay Pigeon Raceway at 17.30 on Saturday 10th July ( after the end of practice). Everyone is welcome, there will also be a socially distanced B.B.Q following (please bring your own food and drink).
See you all at the weekend !

The Junior BLUE Class has, over the past few months, been gathering numbers until making its appearance at Lydd for Round 5 of the BLUE Challenge. Having spent the past few months practicing on the Saturdays of the Senior BLUE Championship Rounds, the young group of novices reached and even passed the minimum number required to have their own race grid. Six keen youngsters, all chomping at the bit, took to the race circuit with the unfortunate Rudie Morten who, not being quite old enough and having to wait a few more weeks, watching on. On race day it was Sam Mitchell who with a pole and win took the opening honours. Mitch Carpenter with opposite pole and 3rd finish claimed 2nd overall from Josh Hibbard.
In Formula BLUE it was series leader David Watts who, mastering the awful conditions, took the overall win from Pole position. 2nd on the day was Paul Dible, relying on all his motorsport experience to overcome the extremely wet conditions where most of the circuit was waterlogged. Ben Joseph came 3rd on points from a start grid of 6th to 2nd after the chequered flag. It could have been more, however, in the rush to fit wet tyres before the final he did not have enough time to top up on fuel. It wasn’t a problem until the last few laps when having closed down on the lead, he developed a fuel surge out of the main corners. 4th overall was the reigning Number 1, Anthony Cleal, who used all of his talent and experience to overcome the conditions. Richard Puddle having started on 9th drive a storming race to finish 3rd in the Final and 5th overall.
In the Blue Master sub-class, Paul Dible took the day with a Pole and 3rd place finish. 2nd was Ben Joseph, despite having won the Final, his 4th place start position meant he was 1 point adrift. Anthony Cleal came 3rd overall.
Cleal did, however, take the BLUE Veteran group from Paul Dible and Stuart Gray.
Gray, in turn, won the BLUE Legend sections with a clean sweep of Pole and 1st at the flag. 2nd was David Goode on 5 points, followed by Robin Stoddart-Stones on 6 points.
In the last of the sub-groups, it was Ben Joseph, racing it out with Paul Dible, who claimed the overall win. 3rd was Ron Shone.
In the actual Championship, it is David Watts who increases his lead over Anthony Cleal. Richard Puddle moves up into 3rd place followed by Mike Bell and Russell O’Neill. In the Blue Master section, Cleal moves up from 3rd to 1st ahead of Russell O’Neill, Ben Joseph, Rob Mortimore and David Goode.
Anthony Cleal maintains his lead in the BLUE veterans sub-class from Rob Mortimore who displaced Kevin O’Neill to 3rd and David Goode swaps 4th place with David Waldron.
Following a poor result in the extremely wet conditions, Kevin O’Neill loses the overall lead in the BLUE Legend group to David Goode by the slender margin of 1 point. These two are followed by Ron shone, Stuart Gray and Chris Underhill.
In the BLUE Top weight section, Billy Thomas loses his lead, by virtue of a non-attendance. This has been taken on by teammate Ben Joseph, from Paul Dible and Ron Shone.

The Championship now moves on to the Clay Pigeon Raceway, where on July 11th Round 5 takes place.
For more information and points updates, please view the Results Page menu on the www.planetkarting.uk website. OR CLICK HERE

The 2021 Junior & Formula BLUE ‘0’ Plates took place at Lydd race circuit located down in the southeast corner of Britain. Saturday was spent in near-perfect conditions and testing had reached a high pitch of readiness. Sunday dawned fine , but clouds were looming on the horizon. Practice passed uneventfully, but then half an hour before the race programme was due to start a few rain spots were noted. These continued so that many drivers changed to ‘inter’ tyres and some to full ‘wets’! Richard Puddle, in the seniors, being the worst affected, didn’t get his ‘wets’ on in time and missed the first heat.

The resurgence in the Junior BLUE Class meant that the vacant trophy ( for 6 years), would once again be competed for. New boy Sam Mitchell was 5th fastest on Saturday, but ‘hit the ground running on Sunday dominating proceedings with only Maddie Staddon able to match him. the final, however, was so nearly a disaster for Sam, because, initially, his kart refused to start! After going through all the obvious reasons and with all the other racers having left the grid, a faulty connection ( no doubt affected by the heavy rain) was traced and he managed to get going and rejoin the slow-rolling lap. Despite an initial misfire he took and then held the lead, chased by Josh Hibbard and a rapidly improving Mitch Carpenter. Mitchell took the flag and there will now be a new name on the perpetual trophy!

By the time the Senior BLUE’s took the rolling lap for the final, the heavens had really opened up. Dave Watts, on pole, and Paul Dible opposite, had the benefit of no Karts in front throwing up water and so impairing the vision of all behind. 2nd row included Sylvain Vessier and the current number 1 Anthony Cleal. Behind these two sat multiple ‘o’ plate winner Stuart Gray , with Ben Joseph alongside. Row 4 included Sam Dible and Mike Bell. the last of the top 10 had Richard Puddle and Serita Shone ready for action. From the ‘off’, Watts took the lead, chased by Vessier. Mike Bell having forgotten his gloves !!, was ‘orange balled’ and had to leave the circuit. Taylor Waldron and Russell O’Neill made meteoric starts and were up to 8th and 9th by the end of lap one. By lap two Paul Dible had lost 2nd spot to Cleal and Joseph. Stuart Gray spun out of 6th dropping down to 17th. Robin Stoddart-Stones also dropped off track whilst in 11th reappearing in 19th spot. Lap 3 and Joseph was past Cleal. Puddle was up to 8th having passed Russell O’Neill. David Waldron accounted for Ron Shone and moved into 11th place. Lap 4 and Serita Shone was ahead of Dible, and Puddle followed her through. Next lap and Joseph was into 2nd spot and set his sights on Watts at the front. Paul Alexander passed Rob Mortimore for 13th only to ‘throw’ it off the track the next lap. By half distance, Watts was clear at the front but was being closed down by Joseph. Vessier held a clear 3rd from Cleal. Puddle had now joined that battle after passing Serita Shone. Further back, David Waldron accounted for David Goode and 10th place. Things stabilised over the next 3 laps until Vessier lost a complete side pod bar and 3rd place! A recovering Stuart Gray, from his earlier spin, was now back up to 10th position. The last 4 laps were relatively steady with Joseph having closed down Watts, but unable to make any move stick, as he suffered from fuel surge. Puddle manage to pass Cleal for 3rd place and Alexander slip past Tom Parker for 14th place. At the flag, it was David Watts ( retaining the ‘0’ Plate !!) from Ben Joseph, Richard Puddle, Anthony Cleal and Serita Shone. Serita was later to lose 5th spot with a front spoiler infringement incurred when Gray spun earlier in the race.
Once the points ( where you start plus where you finish, added) were collated the ‘0’ Plate results were as follows.
For more results and details please view the results page / NKRA Championship on the www.planetkarting.uk website or CLICK HERE
JUNIOR BLUE
1st Sam Mitchell 0 + 0 = 0 pts
2nd Mitch Carpenter 2 + 3 = 5 pts
3rd Josh Hibbard 5 + 2 = 7 pts
FORMULA BLUE
1st David Watts 0 + 0 = 0 pts
2nd Paul Dible 2 + 5 = 7 pts
3rd Ben Joseph 6 + 2 = 8 pts
4th Anthony Cleal 4 + 4 = 8 pts
5th Richard Puddle 9 + 3 = 12 pts
BLUE MASTER
1st Paul Dible 0 + 3 = 3 pts
2nd Ben Joseph 4 + 0 = 4 pts
3rd Anthony Cleal 2 + 2 = 4 pts
BLUE VETERAN
1st Anthony Cleal 2 + 0 = 2 pts
2nd Paul Dible 0 + 2 = 2 pts
3rd Stuart Gray 3 + 3 = 6 pts
BLUE LEGEND
1st Stuat Gray 0 + 0 = 0 pts
2nd David Goode 3 + 2 = 5 pts
3rd Robin Stoddart-Stones 2 + 4 = 6 pts
BLUE TOP WEIGHT
1st Ben Joseph 2 + 0 = 2 pts
2nd Paul Dible 0 + 2 = 2 pts
3rd Ron Shone 3 + 3 = 6 pts

With two new drivers increasing the level of competition in the Junior Blue S.W. Series, it has become more crucial to maintain the ‘flow ‘ of scoring points. Although Jamie Dart got his fastest lap sorted early on, Rhys Reed gradually improved to where, in the end, he secured 2nd place, this allowed him to remain in the lead with a 4 point margin. Behind these two, Josh Hibbard and Rudie Morten fought it out for 3rd and 4th. New racers, Sam Mitchell and Maddie Staddon steadily improved throughout the day, but were to show their potential later on in the Blue Challenge.
Mitch Carpenter didn’t feel up to it and sat this one out. The next round of the series takes place at the Clay Pigeon Circuit on Saturday, July 10th.
For more details and up-date points view the results page on www.planetkarting.uk website or CLICK HERE

After a rain sodden race at The Lydd Circuit on 26 & 27th June. Serita Shone closed down Russell O’Neill for 1st place in the TABOR Championship and the £ 500 prize. They go into the next round at the Clay Pigeon Raceway, on July 11th equal on points. Anthony Cleal moves up to 3rd spot, passing both Rob Mortimore and Mike Bell, with David Goode closing in on the pair of them.
for more details and up-date points please view the Results page on www.planetkarting.uk website or CLICK HERE

Team TABOR will be in attendance, with their race support vehicles at the LYDD INTERNATIONAL RACEWAY on 25th, 26th & 27th June 2021, for the BLUE Challenge round 5 and the Formula BLUE ‘0’ Plates. Please note there is not any practice on Friday, other than for Juniors from 4pm – 7pm. One Team TABOR vehicle will be in attendance from 3pm on Friday.
Competitors requiring Tyres/Spares for this event, please order and purchase your requirements in advance prior to 12 noon on Wednesday 23rd June, for delivery/collection at the circuit on the race weekend.
Telephone 01305 774074
Thanks, See you there and in the meantime please stay safe !

REIGNING ‘0’ PLATE CHAMPIONS

JUNIOR BLUE – Jake Calvert
FORMULA BLUE – David Watts
BLUE Master – Stuart Gray
BLUE Veteran – Stuart Gray
BLUE Legend – Stuart Gray
BLUE Top Weight – Ron Shone

The 2021 Formula BLUE ‘0’ Plates take place on June 27th at Lydd International race circuit. With the exception of Junior BLUE, where the competition is newly reinstated, all of last year’s winners will be present.
To add to these competitors, all of last years’ single-seeded drivers have entered, plus Richard Puddle, Sylvian Vessier, Sam Dible, Rob Mortimer and Ben Joseph, to name a few, who have been making their mark in the early BLUE Challenge rounds of 2021. The weekend should be a cracker!
FOR DETAILS OF THE 2020 RESULTS – CLICK HERE
FOR DETAILS OF ‘0’ PLATE WINNERS PAST AND PRESENT – CLICK HERE